What to consider before making your booking. Firstly, there are three things to consider:
- how long you wish to stay
- what price you are willing to pay for your room
- and in what kind of accommodation you wish to stay
If you are staying just for a few days or you are not on a low budget, try to stay in the following central areas:
Old Town – everything (sights, shopping, restaurants) is within walking distance. You are in the tourist core of Prague, where it is just a five to ten-minute walk to the New Town or the Jewish Quarter. The disadvantages will be parking, high prices and it can get noisy.
New Town – the disadvantage is that you might need to use a tram or metro to get around or walk a bit longer. But it is definitely cheaper than the Old Town hotels, and there is a good choice for shopping.
Lesser Town – the area below the Castle, which extends out to the border of Ujezd, is very nice, especially Nerudova street. Hotels might be quite expensive, and some of the best hotels in Prague are located there. Nerudova is Our Pick! There are also many nice bars and restaurants, and it is less crowded than the other side of the river.
Hradcany and Castle – the area on Castle Hill, is dotted with expensive hotels (luxury residences or suite hotels) and is best if you plan to visit the castle or its lovely picturesque surroundings. The Castle area includes Pohorelec, where the Strahov Monastery is, Uvoz (Castle Steps) and the New World (Novy Svet).
If you are staying for a few days and you are on a mid-budget, then if you can, stay at some hotels a bit off the city centre, but not very far.
The following locations are considered to be best:
Ujezd – borders the Lesser Town and is the area located below Petrin Hill. Connected with trams and within walking distance of the Charles Bridge, it is not a bad choice. Ujezd tram stop is opposite the Funicular.
Andel – a cosmopolitan area with excellent public transport, closer to the department stores. You can reach the city centre by metro or train within ten minutes.
Vysehrad is situated in quiet surroundings between the Nusle Bridge and the river and usually offers reasonable room prices. It might be a good choice if you don’t mind using public transport to the city centre (15-20 minutes). Walking time to the Centrum is around 45 minutes.
Vinohrady – the area, located above Wenceslas Square (National Museum). Within walking distance of the city centre. Many nice and reasonable hotels, small bars, shops and good restaurants too.
Zizkov – has many hotels with good deals, though the disadvantage is that it is not the best surroundings. The distance to the city centre is up to 20 minutes.
Dejvice – nice surroundings, and by tram or metro you can get to the city centre in 15 minutes.
Karlin – has the disadvantage of not offering the best surroundings. Ten minutes to the city centre.
If you are on a very low budget, then there isn’t so much choice.
Just try to avoid locations which are not very accessible by public transport.
Booking.com – (discounted hotels, instant confirmation, pay upon arrival)
Tip: Prague’s often-dubious service extends to the taxis that cluster around the entrances to many hotels, which often rip off tourists. If the hotel has its own fleet of taxis, it’s a better option, but their charges may still be double those set for local taxis. The best bet of all is to call an honest taxi service yourself, such as AAA Taxi or pre-book shuttle with Prague Airport Transfers. For more on taxis and getting around in the city, see the transport chapter.
